Welcome

For the pastoralists of Northern Kenya, the death of livestock has become commonplace as pasture has become more and more difficult to find.  Bodies of animals are scattered all over, having been abandoned wherever they were when they died or became too weak to walk.  Pastoralists are used to migrating long distances in search of pasture and water, but those who have animals remaining are now having to go further than ever.  Some have headed to the forests and roadsides of Southern Kenya, others to the slopes of Mount Kenya.  Even there all is not well as they face the challenges of a different climate and new livestock diseases.

Of course people are also in great need.  Most water sources have dried up and those who are not near a bore hole or places where water is brought by truck have to trek extremely long distances in search of this commodity.  Whole communities are relying on relief food from the government or NGOs, with others resorting to searching for wild berries to keep them alive.

Insecurity has also increased as more people start raiding and stealing from neighbouring communities.  A UN agency reports that at least four hundred pastoralists have been killed in armed conflicts since July 2008.

Turning to Southern Kenya, the drought has also brought hardship and suffering to farmers in many districts.  Usually at this time of the year they would be getting ready to start harvesting their crops. However, this year there is nothing to harvest as all the crops dried up from lack of rain.  The need for relief food has spread to these areas which are normally food secure, so the work of the government and relief agencies in providing for the hungry has increased.

Here at Kisima, we have reached this point in the term without having to buy in water, but only by rationing it.  It is a long time since the students have been able to enjoy water from the taps in their dormitories, and instead have to collect it by the bucket from the kitchen.  The school’s running has also been affected by the increase in food prices which has followed the failed harvest.

Some regions are now receiving rain, with the forecasters saying most parts of the country should expect rain by the end of this month.  They are in fact predicting very heavy rains associated with the El Niño weather phenomenon.  For many places this is a mixed blessing; flash floods are a risk, homes, animals and people are in danger of being washed away, and water-borne diseases are a likely after-effect.  Whilst the rain is of course welcome, much of the water will be lost in areas where there are inadequate water-harvesting facilities, though the government is trying to be prepared by creating dams and digging water pans.  Many farmers will be unable to make use of the rain as they have no resources left for buying seed and fertilizer, and it will take a long time for pastoralists to build up their herds and flocks again.